Conventionally the following process has been widely employed: an FIB is used for fine processing of a sample and the fine-processed sample is observed with an SEM; when there is observed a defect or the like, it is analyzed by observation with the SEM, and then the sample is returned to the FIB to be processed again. For this process, the delivery of the sample between a sample chamber of the FIB and a sample chamber of the SEM is necessary and various sample devices have been proposed to cope with various problems including a problem caused by a vacuum sample chamber and a problem in connection with positioning for fine processing and observation of a sample.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes that, in order to facilitate identification of an area (or areas) to be processed on a sample with an FIB or an area (or areas) to be observed on the sample with an SEM when delivering the sample, information necessary therefor is pre-stored in a sample cartridge for carrying the sample, and positioning for the sample can be done only by loading the sample cartridge on the FIB or SEM.